NLS: That All May Read

Audio book distribution system design

Section 1 - Introduction

1.1 Background

The National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped
(NLS) of the Library of Congress (LOC) administers a free library service
to approximately 525,000 eligible residents of the US and US citizens living
overseas who cannot read, hold or handle print media because of visual
and/or physical disabilities. Under a special exemption of the US copyright
laws and with the cooperation of authors and publishers who grant permission
to use non-covered copyrighted works in the program, NLS selects and produces
annually about 2,000 full-length audio book titles and 45 audio magazines
in a specialized 4-Track, 15/16 ips recorded cassette (RC) format. NLS
also produces annually about 42,000 specially-designed Cassette Book Machines
(CBM) which enable readers in the program to play the recorded cassette
books and magazines produced in specialized format.

A cooperating nationwide network of 57 regional (RL) and 75 subregional
(SRL) libraries currently store approximately 19,400,000 and loan about
19,000,000 RC copies per year to readers in the program, while about 3,500,000
copies of cassette magazines are provided annually from manufacturers on
a one-way, disposable circulation basis. Operations in network libraries
are supported by a combination of federal, state, local and private funding,
while NLS contracts with manufacturers for the provision of direct circulation
magazines. Virtually all circulation of books, and all circulation of magazines,
is on a mail-order basis which is performed by the US Postal Service (USPS)
and the costs of which are covered under a special Congressional appropriation
for the same ("Free Matter for the Blind").

While cassette technology has been the backbone of the program for almost
30 years, it is outdated in several respects and is nearing the end of
its useful life. Compared to cassette-based technology, digital audio
technology offers significant improvements to readers in the program,
network libraries, and NLS. Furthermore, the impending obsolescence
of key elements of RC and CBM technology also warrants the conversion
of the system to an appropriate alternative technology. NLS has therefore
determined to implement digital audio technology as the framework of
the future system. Following extensive research, NLS has established
a digital audio book standard (ANSI/NISO Z39.86) and has selected a
digital file compression algorithm (AMR WB+) to be used to compress
the size of files required for audio books yet retain acceptable audio
quality.

While NLS anticipates that ultimately most patrons of the program will
download digital reading materials from the Internet using a variety
of broadband channels, and store and read books and magazines on portable
playback machines designed specifically for use with such a delivery
system, several major technological and economic impediments related
to the provision of broadband Internet access to patrons of the program
are expected to continue for some time. Therefore, NLS has decided that
reliance upon such a delivery system must be postponed until technological
advances make it economically feasible for most patrons in the program.

NLS has performed extensive research and determined that the first digital
audio book distribution system will be based upon a high-density, solid-state,
Flash Memory medium, using a "one-book, one-object" circulation protocol
(i.e., as is currently used), with books being delivered to readers and
returned from readers via the USPS. This distribution system, the design
of which is the subject of this report, is planned to begin in 2008 and
will require approximately four or five years to fully implement.

In addition, the entire collection of digital audio books will be available
for download by patrons and libraries, probably in 2007, and certainly
by the time digital audio book distribution from libraries is begun.
This will allow "early adopter" readers who strongly wish access to a
book to obtain it directly from the download site, or Digital Asset Management
System (DAMS). Libraries will also be able to download books for which
they are not provided copies (e.g., probably most of the 20,000 "retrospective"
(those already produced on cassette) book titles, planned to be available
by 2008), and make copies if necessary.

The Digital Talking Book (DTB), Digital Talking Book Machine (DTBM),
and DTB container for the future system are currently being designed,
and prequalifications of potential mass-producers are being evaluated.
All new audio book titles are being produced in digital format, as have
all titles beginning in FY 2004 (with some produced as early as FY 2002),
and an additional 10,000 titles in cassette format are being converted
to digital format via analog-to-digital conversion; as noted, a total
of 20,000 titles are planned to be available in digital format by FY
2008. The specifics of the encryption schema required to provide copyright
protection for program materials are being developed. A pilot test for
Internet-delivery of digital audio magazines has been completed, and
a similar pilot test for digital audio books is currently ongoing.

In September, 2005, the ManTech project team completed Phase 1 of the
DTB Distribution study, which was a feasibility analysis in which three
digital book distribution systems were formulated and evaluated, taking
into account both NLS and network library-incurred costs, and both economic
and non-economic considerations. It was first concluded that the system
in which NLS would provide all audio book distribution from contracted
Duplication-on-Demand (DOD) Centers is not economically feasible. It
was then determined that a "Hybrid" distribution system - in which audio
books with the greatest anticipated demand would be mass-duplicated,
allocated to libraries, and loaned to patrons as is currently done, and
in which books with relatively low anticipated demand would instead be
provided by DOD Centers – would be more economically efficient from the
perspective of both NLS and network libraries than would a system in
which all DTB titles are mass-duplicated. In terms of non-economic considerations,
a comparison of the two systems resulted effectively in a "draw."

However, while mass production of Flash Drives is a mature technology,
mass-duplication of Flash Drive DTBs is currently only in a formative
stage, while duplication-on-demand of Flash Drive DTBs is non-existent.
DOD on a mass-scale will be an inherently more complex process than mass-duplication,
requiring greater capital investment, set-up time, and extent of automation
of operations. Also, libraries will have to make certain minimum enhancements
to their information systems in order to function properly in the future
system, especially with regard to working with DOD Centers. For all three
reasons, ManTech recommended that DTB distribution begin with the All
Mass-Duplication system, probably for the first two or three years of
the transition period, but then evolve into a Hybrid system thereafter.

1.2 Objectives

The objective of Phase 2 of this project is to develop the design of the
selected audio book distribution system, Statements of Work for operations
that would be contractor-performed, and a transition plan to effect implementation.
NLS generally intends to implement the recommendations from Phase 1 of
the project, but it is possible that NLS may not implement DOD Centers
and that DTB distribution may be performed exclusively via mass-duplication
and library-based distribution. However, because the Hybrid system includes
a mass-duplication with library-based distribution component (which will
account for approximately 80% of total book circulation), the All Mass-Duplication
system can be considered effectively an extension of the mass-duplication
portion of the Hybrid, and both are addressed.

This final report for Task 2 of the project describes the future audio
book distribution system including: operating procedures and general functional
specifications for book distribution and duplication at network libraries
and DOD Centers; estimated resource requirements and costs for DOD Center
operations, and estimated costs for mass-duplicated DTBs; functional specifications
for changes to library information systems and functional specifications
for the DOD Center information system required to implement the future distribution
system, including the exchange of information via data telecommunications
between the libraries and Centers and operations within the Centers; and,
service standards and policies which influence audio book distribution operations.

1.3 Scope, Assumptions and
Limitations

Several points regarding the scope of this report, major assumptions used
in analyses, and limitations encountered are listed below.

The design of both the DTB and DTB container is ongoing and not yet
completed. Consequently, certain aspects of the distribution system design
presented in this report are tentative and will potentially change in
the future when those designs are final.

The DTB and DTB container design are proprietary, and will be protected
by patents in the future. ManTech project team personnel have signed
non-disclosure agreements in this regard. As directed by NLS, only (known)
general relevant characteristics of the DTB and DTB container are cited
in the report, as necessary.

Several references are made to the “Battelle Report,” which refers
to the document “Duplicating Equipment: Concepts and Example Components,”
dated April 20, 2006, and provided by NLS to ManTech. While the DTB and
DTB container design are effectively constraints which established a
framework within which the book distribution system has been designed,
NLS directed ManTech to include in this report any alternatives to or
variations upon the automated DTB DOD process contained in the Battelle
Report, if and as appropriate. Such alternatives will be considered by
the Systems Developer/Integrator who will develop, test and implement
the automated DTB production system in the DOD Centers.

NLS audio magazine production and distribution are not addressed;

USPS-incurred costs are not addressed;

The description of the audio book distribution system design is based
upon a steady-state operation after all patrons have DTBMs and RC production
has ceased, i.e., after the transition is completed. The transition plan
being developed under Task 4 of the project presents a multi-year plan
for implementation of the future distribution system. Preliminary results
from this plan are cited as necessary.

NLS audio book production and distribution costs are focused upon
in this report. Costs that may be incurred by network libraries for Library
Automation System (LAS) modifications necessary to support the future
book distribution system are not estimated. Based upon results from the
meeting of the ManTech project team with representatives of the five
LASs expected to be in use in the future distribution system, these costs
will be minor-to-moderate given what is generally perceived to be minor-to-moderate
necessary enhancements.

Only the most viable system designs for the book distribution systems
are described;

It was assumed that future production of new audio book titles by
NLS and demand for audio book copies system-wide will be about the same
as that for the current system, regardless of the book distribution system
actually implemented; and